700 more US troops won't make difference: Taliban

Jan 14, 2018 (4 months ago)

ANI

Kabul [Afghanistan], Jan 13 : The Taliban has criticised the United States' decision to send 700 more troops into Afghanistan for training, advising and assisting the Afghan security forces in counter-terrorism operations in the country.

The Khaama press agency reported that the US military officials had announced the sending of more US troops to Afghanistan to advise and assist the Afghan security forces during the counter-terrorism operations.

The Taliban spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid said in a statement, "If the US failed to win a war with a hundred thousand troops, it will not win with a few hundred. Deployment of 700 Special Operations Forces (SOF) is a propaganda effort because the US and its allies are compelled to periodically reinvigorate spirits of their morale lacking troops."

Earlier reports had emerged that the US President Donald Trump was planning to send the US troops in Afghanistan after he unveiled his administration's new strategy to tackle terrorism in South Asia in August last year.

Trump has vowed to continue the US mission in Afghanistan and has reaffirmed his support to the Afghan government and the Afghan national defence and security forces.

According to the US officials, the new strategy will be implemented in a bid to force the Taliban to opt for reconciliation.

The recent comments by the Taliban comes a day after insurgents and the US-special forces clashed with each other in Achin district of Nangarhar province.